Even the most delicate and soft-spoken toddler can also be whiny when they want something badly. And not even the most patient parent can tolerate a toddler’s whine. That cross between talking and crying is one of the most annoying sounds a parent can hear.
Whining is a habit your child develops at the toddler age of two, when children already developed the basic verbal skills to ask for what they want. Fortunately, whining is just a phase your toddler will eventually overcome.
Nevertheless, it’s still important that you break this bad toddler behavior before it gets out of control and turn your toddler into a spoiled brat who gets what he wants whenever he whines.
- The first thing that you need to do is to find out what exactly is wrong and choose your response carefully. The whining pattern changes when you change how you respond to it. Toddlers whine due to several reasons- he’s in a bad mood, hungry, tired, or is nursing an illness. It might be that your toddler only needs to take a nap or is bored and needs something to do. Identifying the underlying cause of whining may help you reduce or completely eliminate whining.
- Using distractions will help your toddler take his mind off from whining. Sing his favorite nursery rhyme, read him a book or play a game.
- The best response to whining is ignoring it. It is important not to reward your toddler’s whining. If he’s demanding a new toy, the worst thing you can do is give him the new toy. Your toddler will soon realize that whining does no good for him.
- Set up some ground rules when it comes with your toddler’s whining. For instance, if he doesn’t whine, then you reward him by reading his favorite book or baking his favorite cookie.
- Teach your toddler to ask nicely. Respond to him only if he asks politely. This will teach him that shouting does not equate to authority.
- Be patient and don’t shout back at your toddler. Whining is an annoying thing but responding to it with an angry voice will only make things worse. Fostering a positive behavior and setting up a good example to your little one is the best way to teach him good attitude.
Whining grates in the ears like nails on a blackboard. It often gets the best of you and can force you to the brink of insanity. It breaks out your temper, which only makes things worse. Proper approach towards your child’s consistent whining will reap you success in stopping future whining.
